It’s All about Jesus

Whatever you ask in my
name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

John 14:13

What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? Is it just a formula that we add to our prayers when we’re done? Are they mere words? If you were to ask my wife, in my name, for a $100, who would she consider as the one requesting the $100? Who would she reject if she didn’t give you the money? While you may be the beneficiary, she would do it for my sake.

What if you were to ask her something in my name that wasn’t in harmony with my wishes— something that I hadn’t said to ask her in my name? While you may say “in Jan’s name”—Jan told me to ask you—it wouldn’t be true.

To pray in Jesus’ name is to ask the Father something that Jesus wants. It means that the requests are in perfect harmony with His will. Ultimately, it means that He asks it. We’re the blessed participants and beneficiaries for His sake.

It’s no wonder that Paul wrote: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought” (Rom. 8:26). We need the Spirit of Christ in order to pray in Jesus’ name. Being His Spirit, He knows Jesus’ will. Thus, when we pray “in the Spirit” in Jesus’ name, we can have the assurance that we will receive our requests.

Today’s verse is as Christ-centered as can be. Not only are they ultimately His requests to the Father, He is also the One who fulfills those requests—“this I will do.” Here’s a good test to determine if your requests are truly in Jesus’ name: are they to the Father’s glory? That’s His goal.

Who gave himself for our
sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God
and Father . . .

Galatians 1:4

It’s a great disservice to Christ when we minimize the seriousness and dreadfulness of sin, especially in light of His all-sufficient cure. It’s one thing to pay someone’s $1,000 debt; it’s quite another thing to pay someone’s $1,000,000,000 debt—the greater the payment, the greater the glory of His grace.

Additionally, it’s also a major disservice when we have a greater emphasis on sin than on the Savior. While we should never lessen the reality of sin, the emphasis should always be on Jesus’ all-sufficiency to save and sanctify. He should be preeminent in everything.

I grew up in a church with such an inordinate emphasis. The Ten Commandments are read each Sunday morning, confronting the people with their sins, while there’s no designated segment for the proclamation of the gospel. To highlight the disease without adequately emphasizing the cure isn’t only detrimental to the people, but it also undermines the proclamation of God’s grace.

No matter what your sins, Jesus gave Himself for them. That includes all the sins you commit today and throughout the rest of your life. Did you know that you continuously sin? Your love, obedience, trust, and gratitude aren’t what they should be, right?

Nevertheless, while you ought to know that, you shouldn’t dwell on it. Rather, the reality of your present-day sins is the means to glorify Jesus for His perfect righteousness and sacrificial death. He freely gave Himself for your forgiveness, reconciliation, and restoration—your eternal bliss.

Who gave himself for our
sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God
and Father . . .

Galatians 1:4

Sin seems to be an antiquated word these days. It sounds too offensive for modern ears. Even some Christians shy away from mentioning it. Yet, that’s how the Bible defines our innate inclinations to evil. The reality of sin is heard, seen, and felt each day. We should never change God’s diagnosis in order to be more acceptable to today’s culture, no matter how outdated it may sound.

When we don’t diagnose sin as it is, lest our audience may be offended, we also diminish the beauty of the gospel. Recently, I read a doctrinal statement: “Although every person has tremendous potential for good, all of us are marred by an attitude of disobedience toward God called ‘sin.’”

Jeremiah didn’t refer to people as having a “tremendous potential for good.” He wrote: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jer. 17:9 NKJV). Paul wrote that, by nature, we’re not able to please God at all (see Rom. 8:7). If we don’t believe we’re “desperately sick,” why pursue a cure? On the other hand, if we do believe the severity of our heart’s disease and its prognosis, we would set everything aside and immediately pursue one.

Jesus didn’t give Himself to those who have a “tremendous potential for good.” Rather, He gave Himself for those who are “desperately wicked.” Which one is more amazing? As physicians of the soul, we should give a proper diagnosis and prognosis, especially since we have the perfect cure. Otherwise, we’re in danger of giving people a false sense of security, believing everything is fine.

Because your steadfast
love is better than life, my lips will praise you.

Psalm 63:3

Paul prayed for believers that they would, “comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18-19).

Our understanding and experience of Jesus’ love is like a small drop in comparison to the Atlantic and Pacific oceans combined? Our knowledge of His love is greatly limited, to say the least. Not even eternity is sufficient to give us an exhaustive knowledge of His steadfast love. Isn’t that mind-boggling?

Unfortunately, even as believers, we have a tendency to cling to that which has no value. We should pray with the psalmist: “My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word!” (Ps. 119:25). It’s only when God infuses spiritual life that we’re able to live in the reality of today’s verse.

It states that Jesus’ love is better than life. Imagine the best life possible; it pales in comparison with His love. Do you believe that? Are you pursuing His love above anyone and anything else, or have the things of this world captured your affections?

Incredibly, it doesn’t matter what kind of circumstances you live in, no matter how dire. His love outweighs all of them. It reaches us in the greatest depth of sin and lifts us up to the highest height of glory. Nothing and no one can compare with His steadfast love.

Two weeks ago, we considered “the day of Jesus Christ.” That day will only be about Him. Today, we have another reference to it. His day will start when God wraps up this “present evil age” (Gal. 1:4) and launches “the age to come” (Heb. 6:5). We’ll then enjoy Jesus’ finished work to the fullest, without end. The Father will confirm His eternal verdict: not guilty. Not guilty of anything!

Amazingly, Paul addressed a church that wasn’t known for its holiness. Rather, he wrote: “But I, brothers, could not address you as spiritual people, but as people of the flesh, as infants in Christ” (1 Cor. 3:1). There wasn’t much difference between these Corinthian believers and unbelievers. Nevertheless, even though they were only “infants in Christ,” they were in Christ. They were the eternal beneficiaries of all the spiritual blessings of the gospel, including today’s verse.

Whether you’re a weak or strong believer, whether you’re an infant or a mature one, today’s truth is applicable to everyone who has received Jesus by faith. His blood will so wash you that you’ll be spotless in the Father’s sight. His righteousness will so clothe you that the Father will express His infinite favor toward you throughout endless ages.

When “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ” begins, nothing and no one will be the focus, including our past sins. It will only be about Him—who He is and what He has accomplished and obtained for all who are in Him. That day will last forever: “And night will be no more” (Rev. 22:5).